CATHOLIC protesters have added the weight of their voices to a campaign to block plans for a sex shop which they fear will 'corrupt' the youth of Widnes.

Members of the Padre Pio prayer group have made a huge banner and are planning to stand outside the proposed site at 119a Albert Road on Saturday in the hope that hundreds of passers-by will be moved to complain about the proposals.

So far St John Fisher Church is to be joined in its protest by St Michael's RC Church and organisers believe a St Bede's Church campaign could also be on the cards. They hope Church of England congregations will also become involved in the campaign.

Terence Burns, prayer leader for the Padre Pio prayer group at St John Fisher Church, said: 'We are having a protest involving people from the prayer meetings.

'A number of people have agreed to take part and there will be many there on the day. We are going to stand outside where the shop with a big banner from 10am-1pm and hopefully hundreds of people will see it.

'We are disgusted. We believe this shop will bring 'filth' to Widnes and will corrupt young minds. Widnes has been a nice town and we don't want innocent people to be corrupted.'

Even private individuals who have taken up the issue claim to have been amazed by the support for action to have the sex shop plans thrown out.

Marjorie Lewis, of Kirkham Road, Widnes, said almost all the people she stopped in the street were willing to sign her petition and says she collected more than 100 names on the petition in the space of an hour.

She said: 'What a privilege to listen to so many people who were glad to sign the petition to show their solidarity against the idea. They know what is right and they are looking to Halton Borough Council to makes sure the licensing section and the legal services division listen to what people want.'

The controversy follows a planning notice outlining the proposals.

Some have pointed to the proposed shop's proximity to eight schools as a major source of concern.

Halton council has said a decision on the application will be made after it has considered comments made in writing by the public.

But the council claims its powers to make a decision are limited by an Act of Parliament which restricts representations from the public to matters concerning the location of the shop and the applicant.